DEFECTED | cal kestis [1]✔️

xi. not this again

"What do you mean we need to go back to Zeffo?! We were just there?"

TN dumped the liquid ointment on her arm, wincing from the substance stinging but sighed in relief from its cooling agent. Cere handed her the bandages to help with keeping the wound covered.

"The Empire found another tomb. This one could help with finding the key to opening the Vault." Cere explained as she helped the teenager wrap her arm.

"All right, well, I want to sit this one out. My arm feels dead. Literally." TN said to the two Jedi in front of her. Cal frowned as he glanced to BD-1.

"We need you with us, TN." Cal said to her, surprised about what he said. He never expected he would ever say that, but he knew it was true. Plus, he needed to mend his relationship with her. If he wanted her to trust him, he would need to trust her.

The girl stared at him, her cheeks turning a light pink. Her eyes were widened slightly.

"You don't have to do any vigorous fighting. I just...need you around because you're reliable." Cal said sheepishly. Cere took this as her cue to leave the two alone and joined Greez in the cockpit.

TN stood, her eyebrow raised and a small grin on her face. Cal looked away, a fluttering feeling surfacing in his chest. Was she causing this weird feeling? If she was, why would he feel like this? He still disliked her, but even now the dislike was starting to ebb away. Maybe this was because he was slowly getting to know her?

"So...are you saying you can finally trust me?" She asked hopefully as she slowly walked closer to him.

BD-1 trilled to the redhead, the boy shrugging in response. "I guess I am."

TN reached her hand out to him, her grin now lopsided and a spark in her eyes which made Cal smile a little.

"I'm glad we're finally on the same page."

+ + +

Not this again...

TN-0237 stood in the same interrogation room, except this time she was dressed in Purge Trooper armor and training with the Inquisitor version of Cal. The girl was not in control of body, but rather watched in her mind as her dream self fought against the boy in front of her. He grinned as she deflected his lightsaber blows and dodged his punches.

"You're getting better."

TN was shaken out of her mind and she could finally control her own body. She removed her helmet and gazed at the red visor, her eyes reflecting in the glass and her breathing shallow. Cal walked up to her, his gloved fingers running along the scar on her cheek in an endearing way.

"You okay?" He asked as he moved closer to her.

"Since when do you care? You're an Inquisitor; made to be cold and demeaning."

Cal chuckled and backed away. "Can't blame me for caring about you. I always did, even before we became apart of the Empire again."

TN shook her head. "This isn't real! This isn't the real you!"

"This is the real me, TN-0237--"

"Don't call me that!"

TN glared at him as she gripped her electrified staff, the purple volts sparking off the blades. Cal noticed her hostile signs and gripped his lightsaber.

"Then what do you want to be called?"

TN stayed in silence as she tried to think of a name or some sort of nickname to be called. When she looked at the ground in defeat, Cal scoffed at her and grabbed her by the collar of her armor. The girl gasped in surprise as he pulled her close.

"That's what I thought. Trooper TN-0237, you are to be evaluated and then report to Reconditioning. And to think I had feelings for someone as stubborn and cold as you..."

He let go of her and shoved her toward the exit of the room, his eyes cold and bitter. TN was left speechless as she gazed at him. Did she hear him right? Were his words true?

This a dream, TN thought. This isn't real...